Show us what you can do

Lancashire’s creative agencies have been urged to step in to one of the county’s brightest spotlights.

Mark Oulson-Jenkins, Head of Production at RTR Digital, said the Be Inspired Business Awards, the BIBAs, provided an opportunity for the best in Lancashire to showcase their talents.

The Padiham-based firm is sponsoring the Creative Agency of the Year category at this year’s awards which closes for applications on Friday, April 8.

Mr Oulson-Jenkins said the awards were an opportunity for creative agencies to highlight the impact their work has on businesses.

He said: “There is so much great work which goes on in creative businesses across Lancashire which has an impact on the bottom line of other firms, yet often goes unnoticed.

“If we want our economy to become more dynamic and innovative, we have to invest in those people who help drive that dynamism and innovation and the creative industries are a great place to start.

“The best way to encourage more people to use their creative capacity for this type of impact is to celebrate it and that is what the BIBAs is all about.

“Throughout the years that RTR Digital has supported the awards, I have seen many winners collect the Creative Agency of the Year award and go on to flourish – I would urge any agency out there to enter this year.”

The awards are open for applications until 5pm on Friday, April 8; visit www.thebibas.co.uk for full details.

Bizzi Growin, which manufactures and supplies unique children’s bedding, was the winner of the Best Use of Creativty prize at the BIBAs in 2015.

In 2015, Ian Hall, the chairman of Preston-based retail group James Hall and Son, collected the lifetime achievement prize, Lancastrian of the Year, when the BIBAs handed out its prizes in front of a sell-out crowd at the Blackpool Tower in September.

Social enterprise Jobs Friends and Houses CIC, which works with ex-offenders, won its Most Inspiring Business of the Year prize and individual prizes went to Phil Lawson of Skelmersdale’s Virtue Technologies, who won Entrepreneur of the Year and Louise Wilkinson, who runs Nelson-based Lomeshaye Village Day Nursery, who was named Business Woman of the Year.